Years ago, I did yoga weekly, at a local yoga studio, but it was such a hassle getting there in rush hour traffic. So, I started going less and less, always finding a good excuse to skip the session.

About a year later, I started to feel pretty crappy. I was having difficulty sleeping and was irritable. My days seemed somewhat stressful and I was feeling rather sad. I thought it was aging. When my doctor told me I was fine, I knew my body was trying to tell me something.

I had to make a change, so I decided to get back into gentle yoga.

Exploring the Benefits of Yoga for Women Over 60

To keep it simple I did yoga at home with an on-line yoga video. I enjoyed the on-line class and did it again the following day, and then a few days after that. I was enjoying the freedom of doing yoga whenever I wanted, and surprisingly, I was feeling good. I was upbeat and happier. I was handling problems with ease, not bothered by the small things that had been irritating me.

Was it the yoga?

I did some research and found two things that were responsible: one was the yoga breathing technique, and the second was the effect of mindfulness.

Yoga or Ujjayi breathing involves deep inhalations and slow exhalations controlled by a narrowing of the throat passage and repeated through the yoga session. It is often called “ocean breath” as the out-breath produces a wave-like sound. Many researchers have found this breathing reduces stress and helps strengthen our mind-body connection.

Mindfulness is living in the moment. We are mindful when we focus on the present and on our physical and mental selves. During yoga, we are in a mindfulness state, as our attention is on our breathing and how we are feeling as we move through the yoga positions.

Being mindful, according to scientists, has both emotional and physical benefits, in addition to stress relief, increased patience, and a more positive attitude.

Yoga was taking, on a whole, a new meaning in my life. Not only was I feeling so much better, many aspects of my life were improving.

Here are 5 unexpected benefits that I have experienced from yoga. I hope my experience encourages you to consider looking into this more deeply.

Building a Stronger Mind

I was able to better focus and had more control of my thoughts. This enhanced mental control helped me understand with more clarity. I was making better decisions, as I was more aware of my options and analyzing them in a more focused way. Yoga strengthened my mind.

Developing Stronger Body Movements

I was becoming much more flexible and agile. My posture was improving and my hips weren’t painful as before. My body was balanced and getting stronger. I felt my walk was more relaxed and natural without the hip pain. At 61 I’m no spring chicken, but I think I now have a spring in my step!

Experiencing a Stronger Mind-Body Connection

I seem to be better able to control my emotions. I’m more relaxed and calm. I’m enjoying the moment and not constantly worrying about “what ifs.” Sure, things can still be stressful, but now I can handle them in stride by doing what I can, and not worrying about what I can’t do.

I find myself using Ujjayi breathing to relax through any stress, as I think happy thoughts and smile it all away. And this works!

Increasing Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence

I’m more positive with how I see myself. Sure there are things I don’t like, but that’s okay, as there is a lot of good in me too. I’m proud of where I am in my life. If people want to judge me, well that’s their prerogative, but I’m not going to worry about this anymore.

Improving Sleep and Reducing Fatigue

I’m sleeping through the night more than I was before. And, because I’m sleeping better, I’m feeling refreshed when I wake up and less fatigued during the day. I’ve even eliminated that mid-afternoon nap. That’s when I’m rolling out my yoga mat…

Yoga has improved my overall quality of life. The yoga positions, along with the special breathing and the state of mindfulness during the practice, have helped me become mentally and physically stronger. I feel more in control, I have more confidence, and it feels good. Yoga has helped me focus my thoughts so I can better analyze my options, assess my abilities and understand the consequences of my choices. I can see myself as I am, and I do like what I see.

Wow, did yoga really do all that? Absolutely, so roll out your yoga mat and start feeling terrific too!

Have you tried gentle yoga? What was your experience? Have you also experienced any of the benefits of yoga mentioned in this article? Please join the conversation and “like” and share this article to keep the conversation going.

Many specialists recommend dancing to encourage mature adults to move and feel good. Everyone can enjoy the benefits of dance including healthy mature adults, those dealing with chronic conditions, and those needing care.

Dancing provides physical, mental, and social benefits.
It’s fun and enhances our creativity.

We may think of dancing as a standing activity. But
haven’t you caught yourself dancing away sitting in your car as a particular
song comes on the radio? Dancing in wheelchairs, with walkers, sitting in a
chair, and standing are all possible and fun.

Sometimes exercise, which is one of the four
pillars of active aging, can be boring and not much fun. Dancing provides
physical and mental health benefits and enhances creative expression.

Using dance to explore your own story is one of the
unique benefits of this type of exercise. Also, it’s fun and generates joy.

Dance Your Story

Jessica Conneely is a professional dancer who
started teaching dance classes for mature adults. The unique aspect of dance as
an exercise is the way that it enhances creativity. Jessica encourages
participants to use creative expression to build their own stories through
dance.

Dancers can use a structured set of movements or improvise
their own movement. They can immerse themselves in movement, make a dance of it,
and add emotion. With a variety of music styles, tempos, etc., movements come
naturally.

To encourage social interaction and creativity, Jessica has participants tell their stories. The stories build connections in the group and engagement among the dancers. Giving people time to tell their story, listening and honoring each of them, leads to social interaction.

Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Dance

The main benefits of exercise are increased
strength and endurance and improved balance and flexibility.

Dance improves all these areas, especially balance
and flexibility. Depending on the tempo, dancing can also improve muscle tone
and lung function.

Important mental benefits include increased
cognitive performance and re-discovering physical movement memories. Dance then
can be beneficial along the health spectrum.

Dance for Chronic Conditions

Dancing encourages proprioception, or the awareness
of the body’s position as it moves. Parkinson’s disease impairs this brain
function and can thus lead to imbalance and falls.

But falls can be prevented with technique. Dancing
requires you to concentrate on the part of the body you are moving and the
direction you are moving it in. This kind of combined
mental and physical exercise can counter Parkinson’s effects.

Using motion from other areas to create a dance routine
can be beneficial for both movement and memory enhancement.

For those with dementia, using movements that are
specific for other areas of life, like sports or gardening, challenges their
memory and encourages their creativity.

In dementia, movement can trigger people’s memories
– like one always knows how to ride a bike
regardless of how long it has been since the last such experience.

Dance Is for Everyone

Everyone can enjoy the benefits of dance – from healthy adults, to those who need special care. It’s fun, enhances our creativity, and encourages us to move our bodies to our own rhythm and tempo. Let’s dance!

How often do you dance? Do you go to dance classes?
Which style is your favorite? What do you think about dancing your story?
Please share your thoughts and let’s have a conversation!

Let’s say you’re out and about, and you see an attractive man
you’d like to meet. You want to go up and talk to him, but you haven’t flirted
in years and putting yourself in a situation where you might get rejected feels
way too scary.

So, you decide to keep moving, and you end up letting an
opportunity pass by for meeting someone you wanted to get to know. Something
you might not understand about men is, they are just as scared to approach you for
the same reason you fear going up to them.

Well, what do you do?

You need to encourage men in a way that lets them know you’re
interested so they feel safe talking to you. The 5 tips I want to share with
you will help you feel more confident when these situations for meeting come up
for you. 

Smile and Make Eye Contact

Smile at a man you’re attracted to and make eye contact with him
for five seconds. Yes, five full seconds….
It will seem like an eternity, but it’s a signal to him that you’re interested.

If you’re sitting with a friend at an upscale bar and you see a
man across the room, look up at him and smile. Then turn back to your friend.
About 10 seconds later, look at him again. You’ve just signaled you’re
interested, and he can approach if he wants to get to know you.

Ask Well Thought Out Questions

Get a man’s attention by asking a question. Remember, men are
wired to help women, so your questions want to trigger his hero response.

Here are some examples of questions you can ask to get the dialogue going between the two of you.

Scenario #1: At Happy Hour

You’re at a happy hour
with a friend. A man sits next to you and orders red wine. Tell him you’ve wanted
to try red wine and ask him what he’d recommend. This situation gives him a
chance to share his knowledge with you.

Make sure to thank him
and tell him how much you appreciate the info and watch his chest puff up
because he’s proud he could help you.

Scenario #2: The Coffee Shop

You’re at a coffee shop.
Ask if the chair next to a nice-looking man is taken. Or if you’re in line, ask
what his favorite coffee is or talk about the weather. These are ice breakers
that can get a conversation going.

Scenario #3: The Dog Park

You’re at a dog park.
Ask a man you’d like to get to know about his dog’s veterinarian and if he’d
recommend him or her for your puppy.

Listen to a Man’s Words

Make a habit of listening to men. Sometimes they give you hints
about being interested in you. The problem is, men and women speak a slightly
different language that neither always gets. Here’s what I mean:

Heidi was sitting at a bar having dinner with her friend. The two
of them struck up a conversation with a good-looking man who sat down next to
them. Her friend asked him the question, “What’s in that salad? It looks really
good,” and the conversation between the three of them took off.

When her friend left, Heidi and this attractive man from
out of town continued talking. Over and over he shared with her that he
wasn’t locked into where he lived and that he’d seriously dated women from
cities other than the one he lived in.

Heidi totally missed his male language hint for “Are you interested in dating me even though I live out of town?” ultimately losing out on an opportunity to date a man she was quite attracted to.

Drop an Item to Strike a Conversation

To this day, I Love Lucy remains a favorite television show. In one episode, Lucy, wearing a wig, was pretending to be another woman. She wanted to see if Ricky would flirt with her. Back in the 1950s, a woman would drop her handkerchief in front of a man to let him know she was interested in him.

So, in this episode, Lucy drops her handkerchief and says to Ricky,
“Pardon me,” fully expecting him to pick it up for her. Both understood
this was a signal she was interested and, if the attraction was mutual, he
could start a conversation with her.

You can do the same thing with men today. Instead of using a
handkerchief, try dropping your phone if it won’t shatter or a folder or
package you might be carrying. Who knows what it might lead to!

Communicate Your Interest

Your
job is to let a man know you’re interested in having him approach you. His job is to ask you out if he’s interested in you. If he’s not, it
doesn’t mean he’s personally rejecting you. He might be married, have a
girlfriend, or you might not be his type.

Just move on… There are plenty of other men out there. Chalk the
experience up as an opportunity to practice your flirting skills.

How often do you meet
interesting men in real life? How do you communicate your interest in them?
Have your actions produced any fruit? Please share your stories and tips in the
comments below!

Sometimes cooking for one or two seems like a real bother. Many of us have been cooking for four or more people our whole lives. So to cook for just ourselves sometimes is, well, not fun. Take heart, and I am talking literally about our hearts and bodies for that matter.

Cooking at home from fresh ingredients is one of the best things we all can do for ourselves. It really can be easy and fun. Anything you make at home, be it french fries or a steak is going to be better than going out for fast food or even a restaurant. We can control the salt and all the ingredients that we choose to use. Although we all need to go out now and then to treat ourselves, that’s for sure.

Cook Like a Grandma, Some of Us Are Anyway

Grandma’s meals always seemed so comforting. Grandma Marie, my husband’s grandma, was the woman who taught me to cook. She sure could make me hungry, just by talking about the food she was planning to cook for the next day.

Her meals were always for one person – herself. Marie would make pasta or a steak and it always looked so good. I was so inspired by her. Her meals were simple and healthy. She would also freeze the leftovers for another day.

That’s the day you really don’t want to cook and you remember you have a frozen stuffed bell pepper in the freezer. You remember that you had made two and froze one. Delicious!

Make a Meal for Two People

You don’t always have to eat alone! Invite a friend over for dinner and take out those pretty plates you keep in the cupboard. Look online for easy recipes or look up meals for one or two people. That’s what I do sometimes. Or just cut your recipes for four, in half. Keep it simple and make it look appetizing.

Get Creative with Simple Chicken Recipes

You can get creative with fast and easy chicken recipes. For example, cook a whole chicken and shred some of meat. Freeze in a baggie. One day, you might be in the mood for a Chicken Taco Salad. Just bake a tortilla in an oven safe bowl, add a little bit of beans, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and olives.

Then take out some of that chicken from the freezer and put on top. Serve on those pretty plates. Your friend will be impressed with your skills. Oh, and the pretty plates too!

Some Inspiration from the Jungle

Here are some ideas that are simple and on my site cookinginthejungle.com. Most of the things I cook are just for Chuck and I.

• Mac and Cheese, Grandma Marie’s recipe, cut the recipe in half
• 1 or 2 Pork Chops deglazed with rum
• Taco Salad, in a baked flour tortilla
• Breakfast Potatoes for 2, with fried eggs on top
• Enchilada Casserole
• Focaccia and a glass of wine or beer
• Fried Egg on Polenta with Kale and Mushrooms
• Eggplant Parmesan with Ricotta and Mozzarella for 2, with leftovers you can freeze
• Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff, cut this recipe in half
• Beer Batter Zucchini Fries, you just need a glass of wine or beer

Here’s a picture of my favourite Taco Salad, I used ground beef and all the toppings.

Here is an Eggplant Parmesan I love to cook. I put a little pesto on top before it was baked. This is a small casserole dish.

Here is some Polenta cooked with kale and fried egg.

These are just a few of the healthy eating ideas I suggest. You can cook these recipes for two people or enjoy them alone. If you have a recipe you would like for me to try out, just let me know. I am up for a challenge. Are you?

Do you like to prepare special dishes just for one or two people? Even if you are eating alone, do you try to eat a healthy and creative dish? What is your favourite recipe for one or two people?

Dorit Kemsley’s Green Satin Crop Top and Skirt on

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Instagram Fashion

On this very day one Dorit Kemsley is celebrating her 46th birthday with her family, and she looks truly amazing! To be 46 and still in amazing enough shape to kill it in a green satin crop top and skirt is a definite goal. And since I’ve not accomplished this even at 40 (I’ve got 6 years to go, right?!), I’ll allow those of you who have been hitting the gym like Dorit to shop the stock of this sexy set before it’s gone.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop her Retrofete Mesta Top

Click Here for Additional Stock and Colors

Click Here to Shop her Retrofete Belinda Skirt

Click Here for Additional Stock and Colors

Hat By Chanel

Photo: @DoritKemsley

Originally posted at: Dorit Kemsley’s Green Satin Crop Top and Skirt